Entertainment

MATSUDO, Japan (AP) — To Floyd Mayweather, his three-round match on New Year's Eve in Japan is for entertainment only. To opponent Tenshin Nasukawa, the "exhibition" is as serious as a kick to the head. Which is what he wishes he could do to Mayweather. But the rules of their match prohibit the unheralded kickboxer from kicking. So he's taken a crash course in boxing. Among his advisers was three-weight world champion Jorge Linares. "I can change the world with my fist," Nasukawa said in his quiet voice on Tuesday after a demonstration workout at his family's Teppen Gym in the Tokyo suburb of Matsudo. Except, he really can't change the world. There will be no judges and no official result. When 20-year-old Nasukawa's people were last month touting a real bout, the 41-year-old Mayweather walked away. He hasn't fought since beating Conor McGregor more than a year ago for his 50th win from 50 fights. He returned to this matchup only after getting the rules clarified to make his … [Read more...] about Mayweather opponent looks for real fight not entertainment

A scene-stealer from “Crazy Rich Asians.” A teen actress who brought aching realism to a movie about adolescence. A boundary-breaking country star. And a comedian who used everything from laughter to rage to make a searing statement on women and society. Awkwafina, Elsie Fisher, Kane Brown and Hannah Gadsby are among the eight performers whose distinguished work earned them a spot on The Associated Press’ annual Breakthrough Entertainers list. Other honorees for 2018 are Henry Golding, Ella Mai, Natasha Rothwell and John David Washington. Their contributions were as varied as the entertainers themselves. For Golding, it was his first film role in one of the year’s most talked about movies, the hit “Crazy Rich Asians.” But for Washington, who is part of an acting family and has been acting for a few years, it was his key starring role in “BlacKkKlansman” that made him a standout. New Grammy nominee Mai breathed new life into R&B with … [Read more...] about AP names its Breakthrough Entertainers of 2018

Gathering around the table with friends and family should never stress the host. At least that’s the plan. I try to remember the reasons we gather: friendship, camaraderie, laughter, holiday cheer. Still, menu planning puts pressure on even the most accomplished cook. Slow-cooked, tender and tangy pulled pork proves the answer to many of my warm-weather entertaining dilemmas: It’s not expensive, little active time is required of the cook, it can go casual or more upscale, and it’s easy to make. Most of all, nearly everyone embraces the flavors and the effort. This holiday season I’m once again relying on slow-cooked pork’s crowd-pleasing and cook-friendly appeal. With a major exception: I’ll employ the oven rather than an outdoor grill. For a number of reasons, not the least of which is the trickiness to cooking on a grill in snow and ice. First, the oven heat will be slow and steady; second, the house will smell amazing! To serve a dozen guests, or … [Read more...] about How to win entertaining season: Chile-crusted pork roast and au jus

After a year like this, Netflix shows no signs of chilling. The dominant online video streamer started 2018 with almost 118 million subscribers, went on to win its first feature-film Oscar, briefly surpassed Disney as the most valuable U.S. media company, lured the likes of superstar show runners Shonda Rhimes, Kenya Barris and Ryan Murphy — not to mention Barack and Michelle Obama — and is expected to end the year with 146 million subscribers and a likely best picture Oscar nominee in “Roma.” In a sign of how influential the giant streamer has become, it also got what every celebrity gets — a gentle mocking on “Saturday Night Live.” The sketch comedy show’s season-ending episode this month aired a fake ad highlighting Netflix’s enormous effort to produce as much content as possible. “Our goal is the endless scroll. By the time you reach the bottom of our menu, there’s new shows at the top,” explained the voice … [Read more...] about Netflix named Associated Press’ Entertainer of the Year